Sean Avery Returns To Dallas As The Rangers Visit The StarsHe probably won't get a warm reception

Sean Avery returns to Dallas tomorrow night

Rangers @ Stars

American Airlines Center, Friday night 8:30

Rangers record: 23-15-3

Stars record: 24-13-4

The Rangers kick-off the first of a grueling two-game road
trip against the Dallas Stars tomorrow night.Then, the banged up Blueshirts will play again less than 24 hours later
in St. Louis.The story of tomorrow night’s game is Sean
Avery’s return to Dallas,
but this will be a good test for the Rangers against one of the league’s better
teams.

After finishing 12th in the Western Conference
last year the Stars are off to a tremendous start in 2010-11 and currently sit
atop the Pacific Division.The Stars
waved goodbye to Marty Turco and Mike Modano after last season and many
expected that they’d go through a bit of a rebuilding stage, but thanks to an
MVP caliber season from potential future Ranger Brad Richards and strong
production from other players including youngsters Loui Eriksson, Jamie Benn,
and James Neal, the Stars have returned to their dominant form of the early
part of the decade.But the biggest
reason for Dallas’
success has been the improved goaltending they’ve received from two surprising
sources, Kari Lehtonen and Andrew Raycroft.Lehtonen had been one of the most injury prone players in the league but
so far with the Stars he’s been healthy and productive.Raycroft is usually among the most inconsistent
players in the NHL, but thus far he’s been even better than Lehtonen.The good news for the Rangers is that Dallas has been beset by
injuries this week.Both Matt Niskanen
and Karlis Skrastins will miss the game and Richards, Neal, and Brenden Morrow
are all fighting through injuries.

The Blueshirts have been fighting through a bit of a dip
lately, in part due to injuries, but also due to the normal ups and downs of an
82 game season.Winning the next two
games on the road will be no simple task, but the Rangers have proven they can
play with anyone in the league.It will
be interesting to see who Coach John Tortorella puts the struggling Marian
Gaborik with and how he handles Avery for what could be an interesting return.And of course, one would think that Mats
Zuccarello might get some bonus ice time in this game.The Rangers are zero for their last 11 on the
power play, and just two for their last 20, but 15 for their last 16 on the
penalty kill.

Neither Brandon Prust nor Michal Rozsival skated today and
Rozsival’s status for tomorrow night is in doubt.If he misses the game, Ryan McDonagh will
likely make his NHL debut.